Month: April 2004
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Friend Reaching
I’ve been working my way through Jim Petersen’s book, “The Insider.” Actually, I ordered the workbook by mistake so I don’t actually have my hands on the book yet. But even the workbook has me intrigued. Petersen suggests that we are all “insiders” to families, neighborhoods, workplaces, and social networks. As insiders, our ministry is…
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Vision Process
I like the “Vision” concepts shared by Justin Baeder at Radical Congruency. Take a look…
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Church Planting Thoughts
We are continuing the process of starting a third church in our network and have discovered the value of taking it sloooow! We have two great couples who are launching out with a Friday night gathering… and we don’t even want to introduce the term “church” too soon lest it give off the wrong impression…
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Core Values & DNA
As a house church network, we have worked to clarify the core values and DNA that we believe leads to the kind of healthy communities we seek to plant: 1. Participatory– 1 Cor. 14:26 Jesus in the midst of His church through everyone involved Leadership facilitates The Holy Spirit leads the church gatherings; the church…
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It Takes Time
Over lunch, at the recent House Church Conference, I found myself asking a couple of “more experienced” brothers if they could look at where we were at as a house church network, point out areas to work on, and make any suggestions. They were, kindly, very affirming at the progress we had made. Sometimes it…
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House 2 House
If you are not familiar with the website, magazine, and conferences that are all part of House2House ministries then be sure to look over all that they offer. Tony & Felicity Dale, the founders of House 2 House, have been involved in house churches since the 1970s in England. Many years ago, finding themselves relocated…
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Still More on the House Church Conference
Robert Fitts shared on his house church adventures having become interested in 1990. At that time he knew of no one involved in this other than in China. Nevertheless, he saw the potential and began planting. After some time he felt that house churches would be stronger if they also developed a training component. He…
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More On the House Church Conference
Mike Steel, of DAWN, shared his model for simple church gatherings. He uses the acronym BELLS to describe the components, not the “order”, of his gathering of believers: B is for Blessing one another, both formally and informally through times of interaction and fellowship. E is for Eating, a key component for people sharing their…
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House Church Conference
Thought I would begin downloading some of the good material presented at the regional western house church conference. Paul Kaak gave an excellent presentation that focused on one key reality: we are not called to plant churches, we are called to plant the Kingdom of God. Churches are natural expressions that take place if the…
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Going to Conference
Will be spending today and tomorrow at the House 2 House regional conference. Looking forward! Will fill you in when I return.